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Thursday, 24 February 2011

Landowners still waiting for refund

Both Sarawak Barisan Nasional and its partner Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) have been urged not to hold landowners to ransom.

KUCHING: The state goverment is yet to keep its promise, made last year, to refund the excess land renewal premiums paid by Sarawakian landowners.

“This is the people’s money. Why is so difficult to refund their money? Until today no one has been paid, ” said Sarawak DAP treasurer Violet Yong.

She said the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) had informed the people last year that Chief Minister Taib Mahmud had agreed to refund the excess premiums.

“I want SUPP president and Deputy Chief Minister George Chan to explain. Or is this just another SUPP’s political stunt?” she asked.

According to Yong, following the government’s decision to reduce the renewal premium, SUPP had set up tables in Kenyalang Park, Kuching, and went to other towns of Sarawak to collect names of those who had paid their premium in excess.

She said SUPP had submitted 854 so-called application forms to Taib before the Sibu by-election in May last year.

But no news had since been forthcoming.

She said that a few days ago, a landowner had given her an application form issued by the Lands and Surveys Depatment.

Useless forms

Yong was surprised that the Lands and Surveys Department had prepared such forms because it meant that the applications submitted by landowners to SUPP were all useless.

“If what SUPP had done earlier is sufficient or good enough to support their applications for appeal for refund, why would the department come out with another form requiring all the particulars of the land and house owners?

“I think this form is unnecessary.

“It is a waste of time and money because all the information required like the identity card of the applicant, occupation, name of his employer, marital status…. are all there.

“The department can get all this information at its fingertip.

“After all, the data can be obtained from other government departments and agencies as they are connnected online,” she added.

Yong, who is the Pending state assemblywoman, said it was strange that people had to beg for their refunds.

“I hope SUPP or even the Barisan Nasional stop this entire political stunt. Stop fooling the people. And don’t hold the people to ransom.”

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